The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-12-22
ARP'S TRAVELS.
His Recent Visit to 1rwlngton, Georgia.

ARP'S TRAVELS.
His Recent Visit to Irwington, Georgia.
! had call to Irwinton. l honorec
the call and it honored me, for those are
good people there. 1t is not so large q
town as Chicago, but it has no anarchy
and everything looks calm and serene
It is one of those old, fashioned towns
that is off the railroad, and they don't care
if it is, so they have the courthouse and
can hear the sheriff call twice year. ]
like their "otium cum Dig" though they
don't dig alarmingly much. l like the
open welcome of their store piazzas
where the lawyers and doctors and
preachers meet to discuss affairs, public
and private, and tell anecdotes and whit
tie on soft pine and hold down the chairs
that used to have split bottoms, but now
have rawhide with all the hair worn of
except the suburbs. like the slow and
measured dignity with which these peo'
pie come aud go and move about the
town.: There issnobody tired when night
comes. Nobody stoops sshouldered from
overwork. Nobody's shoes worn out at
the toes. When the merchant wants to
go to dinner he can shut up and go and
lose no trade by it, for the kind-hearted
customers will wait till he comes back.
The lawyer can go fishing and the doctor
attend to his farm. The Jail door stands
open all the year round and the sheriff
has hungry look for lack of business.
This must be the place where the poet
lived when he wrote "Man wants little
here below" There is neither fashion
nor folly here, but there is good, honest,
|sold-fashioned society and: good old
fashioned schools and lots of children, all
born in lawful wedlock and from whom
may come preachers and judges and sem
ators, and maybe governor or presi-
dent-who knows? Georgia has never
had president and it will be her time
before long. Great men move to cities,
but they are not born and raised there.
Cities breed shrewdness. The country
and the unpretendipg towns give leisure
for reflection, and in leisure there is wis.
DOM, u.
There is one thing about 1rwinton that
is peculiar. A stranger can't slip up on
the town in the night. I-tried it. They
wrote me to get off at McEntyres, and so
got of about midnight and looked
around for light, but there was no light.
I expected hack or mail boy, or I
thought there vas hotel with the lamp
burning in the hall, but there was moth
ing but darkness, utter darkness, and
that darkness was cold, very cold. Isaw
man moving off and hailed him.
"Where is the hotel, my friend ?" said I.
''There amt none about here," said he.
"Where do folks stop who get off here ?"
said /. "They don't git off the night
train," said he, 1"and if they do they
take it afoot to, Irwinton like I'm gwine
to do" and he started off. "Hold on my
friend" said I, "don't somebody live
about here?p said he, "tbe depot agent
lives away up yander on that hill, but he
won't take anybody in-you needn't 60
there" "Has be got biting dog ?"
said /. "I think he has," said he, and
away he went. 1 saw the shadowdy road
and the dim outline of a house, and seiz-
ing my grip sack, I started up the steep
ascent, but not with alacrity; nor was
altogether calm and serene. I was
thinking about that dog-a big yaller
stump tail dog-and the nearer I got, the
more Thought about that dog. 1 stop
ped and listened. Then / creeped eau
tiously towards the front gate and
listened again. There was tree close by
"a small tree with limbs low down, and
stood by that tree, for felt like it was
friend. Soon I spied another tree q little
nearer; and I made for it with alacrity,
and reconoilered again. I have not
climbed tree in ten years, but ] felt
like I hadn't lost the lick. 1 stood there
waiting for that dog and wondering
where he would bite me first, but he
didn't come nor make any canine sign. I
kept my knife open as last resort, and
my heart beat up lively. l Icleared my
throat as an experiment, but still no dog.
I was close to the footsteps, and they
were high-high as stair case, for the
house had basement. All of sudden
I said "hello"- loud, but loud enough
for dog if there was one. I expected
him to come bulgipg every moment
bulging down those steps, or from under
that house, and kept fast hold of the
limb so as to. pull myselfupin emergency
but still there was no sound, no dog,
and so with faith and desperation made
for the steps and ascended on tip toe and
as neared the door ! said "hello" with
great emphasis. I don't think ever felt
more relieved than did just then to hear
the welcome voice of man saying,
s"What do you want and who are you ?"
"I am Bill Arp" said I, "and I want to
stay all night" l said it like l meant
business and did. I would have stayed
if had been ordered off with a shotgun.
But I found kind welcome and good
bed, and my feelings beat thanksgiving
day long ways, for I don't like any such
dogone business of dark night whether
the dog be gone or not. The morning
brought light and good breakfast and a
friend from Irwinton who was expecting